Giving to The Cedars Today and Tomorrow!

John Ferrell

Growing up in Texas, the son of a Free Methodist Pastor, John asked his father if it would be possible for him to attend Central College Academy in McPherson for his junior year in high school. While at Central College, John met his lifelong love, Claudine. Following graduation from McPherson College in 1951, he and Claudine taught at Centennial School in Rural McPherson County – Claudine the lower grades and John the upper. The Korean War was on the scene, and John joined the navy. Upon his return from service, he completed two years of graduate school at Seattle Pacific University. It was at that time that he began a 37-year relationship with Central Christian College serving as a social science professor, registrar, admissions counselor, student services staff, and finally 19 years as vice president for development.

After his formal retirement from CCC, John worked for 20 years as a volunteer organizing college records.

When asked why he and Claudine chose to come to the Cedars 5 years ago, John replied, “Claudine was experiencing health problems.” Some years earlier, then CEO LeRoy Weddle had invited John to serve as a trustee on the Cedars Board. This experience plus many other family and friends connections with The Cedars brought John and Claudine to The Cedars community.

Retirees have many options when it comes to choosing a retirement setting. John shared that he was thankful for his years associated with The Cedars board. His and Claudine’s home was two stories with no bedroom or full bath on the first floor. As he had opportunity to come on the board, it was an opportunity to serve the McPherson community. The Free Methodist Church did not have an in-state retirement facility. In 1992 The Cedars broadened its church affiliation to include the Free Methodist constituency and has been intentional about serving a diverse group of people. John said, “The Cedars staff is loving and caring, the grounds and housing are beautiful, and residents are quality people.”

When asked why he as a financial supporter of The Cedars would encourage others to support the Good Samaritan Fund and the new Memory Care Center, he replied, “The demand is there.” Our senior population will double by the year 2030, and the number of elders over 85 will quadruple by 2050. Many seniors struggle with dementia-related issues, and that number will only increase. And, as Christians we have a responsibility to care for our neighbor in a loving, concerned way.

[Prepared by Steven Gustafson from an interview with John Ferrell on May 17, 2017]

Miriam Hoover

Having resided at The Cedars for 27 years, Miriam Hoover was born into the Church of the Brethren. Her father was a free minister and served a church near Cincinnati, Ohio, where Miriam met her lifetime soulmate, Wilbur Hoover, a pastor in the Church of the Brethren. Their first call together was to a church in southwest Nebraska. Miriam taught in a one-room school where she had 6 students. This began a lifelong career path – Wilbur serving the church and Miriam teaching students. Later Miriam earned credentials in special education and taught in Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

When asked why she and Wilbur chose to come to the Cedars, Miriam replied, “We had lived in McPherson for 12 years. Our transition eliminated yard work, allowed us to enjoy life, and enabled us to travel. Special trips took us to Europe and New Zealand.

People wait too long to make the move to The Cedars Village. They should come while they are physically able to travel, get to know everyone, and develop new friendships. Although the duplexes look the same on the outside, each is adapted inside to individual tastes. I appreciate the ongoing maintenance and upgrades and the on-call emergency service.”

As a longtime resident, what is it about the Cedars that sets it apart from other retirement communities? Miriam responded, “It is a good size and family oriented. We have a spirit of community, good friendships, and a support system. I appreciate that The Cedars’ foundation was built on Christian principles, and that has not changed over the years.”

When asked, why would you encourage others to support the Good Samaritan Fund and the new Memory Care Unit, Miriam replied, “Both of these projects are worthwhile and reflect the values of the churches which support The Cedars. I enjoy being here and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

[Prepared by Steven Gustafson from an interview with Miriam Hoover on May 9, 2017]

Ken and Elsie Holderread

Elsie and I were asked why we chose to come to the Cedars and why we support it with our resources. After living here 16 years our answer to these questions has evolved somewhat. We came here from out-of-state to live close to our family and life-long church and college connections. Living here has wonderfully enabled both of these goals. Along with this the Cedars has provided us with encouragement, support, and a sense of community that has continued to nurture us during this stage of our lives.

Positive caring and friendship from neighbors has meant more than we could have imagined before we got here. We now have a sense of belonging and want to continue to contribute in ways that will help the Cedars thrive for a long time.

The dedication and caring concern of the staff along with the beauty of the campus enriches our experience here. We enjoy a wide variety of activities on campus and planned trips as well as small group experiences. Throughout our tenure here we have heard only positive reports from fellow residents about their joy of living here.

We are pleased that we have the privilege of living our sunset years in the Cedars community. We look forward with joy and gratitude for our future life here.

Together Ken and Elsie Holderread have served the Church of the Brethren throughout their careers as a pastoral team, missionaries, and church executives. Ken has also had opportunity to serve as a teacher, denominational and district executive, and in retirement as a spiritual director/companion. Elsie has worked as a school secretary, administrative assistant, director of human resources, and district executive.

When we give to charitable causes, we enrich not only our own lives, but those touched by our generosity. What we often call “planned giving” helps for the future, establishing a firm financial foundation for tomorrow’s Cedars. “Current gifts” help with ongoing operations now, provide additional day-to-day support for residents who are unable to pay fully for the care and support they need, or help upgrade current equipment or amenities for residents.

This section of our website provides you with snapshots of various approaches to giving and the stories of donors who have experienced one or more of these approaches.

Planned giving identifies a variety of approaches you might use to make a legacy gift that will extend beyond your lifetime.

Types of assets names various kinds of property that could be useful as gifts.

Donor storiesprofiles the personal stories of a few donors who have chosen to support The Cedars and why they made that decision.

Weaving together a gifting plan can be a challenging and rewarding process that leads you to think through the interplay of your values with your resources and your personal and family needs. If the ideas presented on pages in this giving section of our website seem either confusing or arouse your curiosity, we are glad to talk through your questions with you. Contact us at advancement@thecedars.org or (620) 241-0919.

Please feel free to ask us for an informal discussion with you which might eventually produce some ideas you would want to take to your financial advisor, attorney, accountant, or family members for evaluation or implementation.